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TOOWOOMBA woman Sarah Michel has proved to herself and others that Crohn's disease is just a part of her life - it doesn't define her.

She joined 23 other Australians who either had Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis or were caring for someone who did and they conquered the Great Wall of China last week.

The group completed the trek to raise money for research towards the disease.

"We walked for five days on different parts of the wall and it was just incredible," she said.

Sarah Michel on the Great Wall of China

"You're just basically scaling these hills and mountains."

Ms Michel touched down back in Australia on Sunday.

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine.

This year marks 10 years since Ms Michel was first diagnosed after continuous stomach pain, seemingly without a cause, at age 20.

She said it was an "embarrassing" disease so people often didn't talk about it - so she's changing that attitude.

Ms Michel raised $4000 to go towards research and has a new outlook on life.

"I'm technically in remission and still taking heaps of medication," she said.

Sarah Michel on the Great Wall of China

"I was never going to let this disease define me, so it was always a confidence thing for me but now I'm embracing it. It's not going away so I'm owning it."

Ms Michel said the best part about the trek was meeting other Australians who also had the disease or ulcerative colitis.

"The most precious part was to hear their stories; everyone was at different stages or had different symptoms," she said.

"We were sharing different hints and tips and there were some people there that have been just so sick your heart just broke but to see them there on that wall, some taking photos with stomas - yeah I'll never forget that."